God is on the Move — Part 3 — The Spreading of the Gospel to the Gentiles — Part 2
Notes
Transcript
Introduction
Introduction
The Place of the Work — (Vs. 24a)
The Place of the Work — (Vs. 24a)
Caesarea was about 75 miles from Jerusalem. Although they were a long way from home, God was about to do one of His greatest works yet!
Sometimes God has to get us away from our normal way of life, away from our comfort zone, in order that He might do His greatest work in us!
The Patience of Cornelius — (Vs. 24b)
The Patience of Cornelius — (Vs. 24b)
Cornelius waited for Peter’s coming like a kid waits for Christmas Day on Christmas Eve!
The moment was pregnant with expectation!
The excitement he felt was undoubtedly overwhelming!
The Bible says in...
14 Wait on the Lord: Be of good courage, and he shall strengthen thine heart: Wait, I say, on the Lord.
1 I waited patiently for the Lord; And he inclined unto me, and heard my cry.
25 The Lord is good unto them that wait for him, to the soul that seeketh him.
26 It is good that a man should both hope and quietly wait for the salvation of the Lord.
The God Cornelius had been wanting to know and who he had been serving was about to make all things known unto him and he couldn’t wait!
If only we all would get that excited about the God we serve, Amen!
The People in Attendance — (Vs. 24c)
The People in Attendance — (Vs. 24c)
This man wasted no time gathering folks to learn about the God his salvation!
He was Proactive not Reactive!
I fear this is one of the biggest problems we have especially here in United States today!
We have a lot of Reactive Christians in the world today and we need more Proactive!
We expect people to come up and just start talking to us about Jesus and even if by some off chance they do, we then get this deer in the headlights look on our face and we’re like… “you talking to me?”
We have to start being more Proactive about our approaching people with the gospel of Jesus Christ!
This man Cornelius was being Proactive!
He was putting his faith into action!
And maybe you are here this morning and you need to put your faith in action!
If so, do it right now, do it today, do not delay!
The Problem with Cornelius Approach — (Vs. 25-26)
The Problem with Cornelius Approach — (Vs. 25-26)
Cornelius didn’t know any better. All he knew is that God had told him that this man Peter held the key to taking his relationship with his God to a whole new level and he was sent by God.
But Peter sets him straight.
Jesus said in...
Matthew 4:10 — “Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou serve.”
Peter knew he was only a vessel being used by God and that he deserved no worship!
He also knew that all praise and worship belonged to the lamb that was slain from the foundation of the world!
The Previous Precepts — (Vs. 27-28)
The Previous Precepts — (Vs. 27-28)
13 For by one Spirit are we all baptized into one body, whether we be Jews or Gentiles, whether we be bond or free; and have been all made to drink into one Spirit.
28 There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither bond nor free, there is neither male nor female: for ye are all one in Christ Jesus.
11 Where there is neither Greek nor Jew, circumcision nor uncircumcision, Barbarian, Scythian, bond nor free: but Christ is all, and in all.
The Probing of the Crowd — (Vs. 29)
The Probing of the Crowd — (Vs. 29)
The Prior Vision & Present Reason Explained — (Vs. 30-33)
The Prior Vision & Present Reason Explained — (Vs. 30-33)
The Preaching of Peter — (Vs. 34-43)
The Preaching of Peter — (Vs. 34-43)
The Power from on High — (Vs. 44-46)
The Power from on High — (Vs. 44-46)
The Proclamation of Peter — (Vs. 47-48)
The Proclamation of Peter — (Vs. 47-48)
Closing
Closing
As we come to a close there are 2 takeaways I want to leave you with today.
What God had cleansed, let no man call unclean or common.
How many times do we look on someone who looks different than we do or talks different than we do or they’re from a different background than we are and we automatically judge them?
There’s no room in the Kingdom of God for prejudice!
For we are all saved the same way!
God is no respecter of persons and if He’s saved, sanctified, and set someone free, who are we to call that person unclean?
Who do we think we are to question the work of almighty God?
It is God who saves, not us!
For the unsaved here in attendance this morning, I want you to know there is Victory in Jesus but in order to be saved, you must put your faith in action like our good friend Cornelius.
Cornelius knew who the God of the Jews was and he wanted a relationship with Him but in order for that relationship to be made complete, Cornelius needed Jesus!
If you are here and lost this morning, simply believing that there is a God is not enough.
The Bible says in the Book of James that even the devils believe and tremble!
You must take the next step and believe that only Jesus Christ is the one and only Son of God and that He died for your sins!
That’s the Key!
In order to have a relationship with the Father you must first accept His Son as your Lord and Savior.
The Bible says in...
16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.
17 For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved.
18 He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.
And then in...
10 He that believeth on the Son of God hath the witness in himself: he that believeth not God hath made him a liar; because he believeth not the record that God gave of his Son.
11 And this is the record, that God hath given to us eternal life, and this life is in his Son.
12 He that hath the Son hath life; and he that hath not the Son of God hath not life.
1 Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me.
6 Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.
36 He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life: and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of God abideth on him.
What must I do to be saved preacher?
9 That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.
10 For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.
13 For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.